ROD-001 1/72 Albatros D.I German WW1 fighter model kit

Roden 1/72 Albatros D.I German WW1 fighter model kit. Pic.1

Roden 1/72 Albatros D.I German WW1 fighter model kit. Pic.2

Famous Fokker Eindecker was the German's main fighter plane on the early 1916, but appearance of allied DH2 and Nieuport 11 Bebe finished Germany's dominance in the sky. Excellent performances of allied biplanes demanded the equal answer from German's airplanes. New planes, named D-type (D for Doppeldecker, or biplane) soon began arrived to the army in big quantities: this was, mainly, aircrafts, manufactured by Halberstadt and Fokker as well as with Roland and Albatros latest designs. One of the best aircraft, built by Albatros Gesellschaft fur Flugzeuguntemeh-mungen GmbH Company, received the official name Albatros D.I.
For its time (first aircrafts were delivered to the frontline on September, 1916) Albatros D.I was the revolutionary design: six-cylinder in-line engine was enclosed in a semi-monocoque plywood fuselage of fine streamline form; six spruce longerons positioned by plywood formers and metal panel above the nose gave construction more strong; undercarriage consisted from strong steel tubes with shock absorber installation in the axle; wings of constant chord had ailerons, mounted on top wings only.
New aircraft received good references from combat pilots, but in same time many failures were discovered: upper wing arranged too high and upward vision had been unsatisfactory; central struts, attached to the center of the top wing, prevented to the normal reinforcing of armament; Windhoff side radiators was the constant troubles.
In total, 50 aircrafts of this type were delivered to the front; at the same time Albatros company improved construction of D.I; new aircraft, named Abatros D.I I soon replaced it's predecessor in combat units.